Customers purchasing certain types of products in stores may be required to use a redemption code to activate the purchased product prior to using it. For example, a gift card that can be used to purchase items, such as a pre-paid debit card, typically requires the buyer to purchase the card and then activate the card using a redemption code imprinted on the card. To prevent persons from simply copying redemption codes from unpurchased gift cards and activating the cards, various systems have been put in place to require purchase of the card prior to activation. For example, when a person purchases a gift card, information about the gift card being purchased is sent to the provider of the gift card, who marks the card as being “sold” and thus available to be activated when the purchaser later enters the redemption code. If a person enters a redemption code for a gift card that is not marked as “sold,” the activation fails and the gift card remains inactive.